Most parents plan on sending their children off to school when they turn 4 or 5. The school system takes care of their educational needs till they are adults. Admitting your children to a school gives you a feeling of security that your children are in capable hands, but when it comes to homeschooling, most of us are sceptical. Why is that so?
You may think that you don’t have what it takes to be a good teacher for your children, but you only need to give them what you think they need and your children will learn and grow up all by themselves. Read the full article to see if you can consider homeschooling your children.
Important points to note
- Homeschooling has been legal in Singapore since 2000.
- Children are required to undergo compulsory education in Singapore. So, if you want to homeschool your children, you have to apply for exemption from the Compulsory Education Unit of the MoE.
- Visit https://www.moe.gov.sg/primary/compulsory-education/exemptions to know more about getting the exemption. You can also contact them at moe_ceu@moe.gov.sg and get your doubts cleared.
Advantages of Homeschooling
- You get to customise what your children learn.
- You can tailor the educational material to match your child’s needs.
- Flexible study time for your children and you.
- Can adapt around your family plans.
- A bonding experience for parents and children.
- Build individuality and independent behaviour in children.
Disadvantages
- Hard to manage a job and homeschool together. Most people quit their jobs to homeschool their children.
- Homeschooled children, who are later sent to schools will sometimes find it harder to socialize.
- Financial restraints, since only one parent can work.
Here are a few pointers you need to consider before opting for homeschooling!
Time
Consider whether you have enough time to educate your children. You have to be sure that the quality of time spent (out of educating them academically) is uncompromised.
Financial matters
If you are currently a working parent and are thinking of quitting your job to homeschool your children, think of how it will affect your family finances. Make calculations and see whether your family can run on the income of a single parent, or if you can find alternative methods to supplement your income.
Your child’s needs
Before making a decision, understand whether your child is happy and interested in being homeschooled. Be frank with your children about the pros and cons of getting homeschooled because they might not want to miss out on school life.
Duration
Plan early to what stage you are going to homeschool them. And if you plan on sending them to school at a later stage, make sure you prepare them to handle that transition smoothly.
Less time for yourself
It is an arduous task that requires your constant attention and care. You might not get much time for yourself. Think about whether you are ok with that trade-off.
Special needs
Do your children have any special needs? If yes, sometimes it requires a professional to give your child the things they require to get an education and you may have to reconsider homeschooling.
If you have decided on homeschooling your children, then you have to think about how to provide optimal learning support for them.
Plan a curriculum
The ministry requires you to submit a curriculum to get an exemption. Each child is different and has different requirements. Try to assess your child’s capabilities, and weaknesses and make sure you tailor it to fit their needs.
Follow a schedule
Creating a schedule for the lessons will make sure your other activities at home are not interrupted. You can adjust it accordingly to your needs. It is a good idea to have a fixed time to learn as your children’s brain will adapt to it, and they will be able to focus better.
Learn before teaching
Make sure you are prepared well before teaching your children. Do not try to wing it. Prepare teaching notes, think of any questions your children might ask you, and prepare to answer them.
Practical examples
You can conduct fun experiments and activities that help your children understand certain concepts better. Buy them craft items, pinboards, and other things they might need. Encourage them to learn by doing.
Introduce your children to the world of books
When you are teaching, books are your best friends. It is a good idea to set up a home library. Spend some money on books and stock them up. Ensure there is a peaceful reading area for your children, where they will be undisturbed.
Include a variety of activities in your schedule
Do not limit your curriculum to just reading and memorising information from books. Take your children out and let them observe and explore the world around them. Give them topics to ponder on, riddles to solve, and questions to answer. Include activities that employ their muscles and help develop their motor skills.
Teach them social and interpersonal skills
Children in schools naturally learn this while interacting with friends and teachers. When you are homeschooling, your children don’t get this opportunity. So, you have to make sure they develop this skill by interacting with them as much as possible when teaching.
If you believe you have what it takes to educate them about life, then homeschool your children. 88tuition also provides a strong curriculum (aligned with MOE syllabus) with engaging teachers to help support your homeschooling needs. All the best! 🙂
Exam Smart Tips
Exam Smart Tip #1 – How to Encourage Our Kids to Speak Better?
Exam Smart Tip #2 – How to avoid carelessness?
Exam Smart Tip #3 – Establishing Routines!
Exam Smart Tip #4 – Let’s Read Carefully!
Exam Smart Tip #5 – Beating the Exam Fever!
Exam Smart Tip #6 – How to Eat Right for the Exams?
Exam Smart Tip #7 – How to Avoid a Meltdown?
Exam Smart Tip #8 – Taking Stress out of Tests
Who We Are
Mission statement – “Empower every student to achieve full potential”
88tuition Pte Ltd offers the best PSLE Tuition Singapore for children looking to ace the PSLE exam. With effective learning materials and high-quality explanatory videos by experienced trainers, children are provided with the best online PSLE tuition.
With the basics learnt well, children will be able to grasp advanced concepts easily. Looking for the best PSLE math tuition, PSLE Science tuition and PSLE English tuition in Singapore? 88tuition has got you covered. The online training videos and assessments are designed in a way that children are made to enjoy the learning process.
UEN 201817310C
271 Bukit Timah Road; #03-08; Singapore 259708
